March 5, 2021

School District U-46 is asking students in 4th through 12th grades to take a Student Equity and Inclusion Survey designed to measure how well they feel included and represented in the District’s schools. The survey also asks important questions about diversity, cultural awareness, and action, how comfortable they feel talking about race and culture in class — and the frequency that educators are leading those discussions.

Teachers are being encouraged to allow students to take the survey during an in-person or synchronous (two-way) online classroom time between March 8 and March 26. The online survey will take about 20 minutes to complete and individual responses are completely confidential and anonymous.

The survey was first administered in U-46 last May, and the District is again partnering with Panorama Education, a leading K-12 research company, to manage the survey process to ensure data privacy and security. 

“We are discussing issues tied to diversity, equity and inclusion on a daily basis in U-46, because we know that when students feel included and represented, they are more likely to succeed,” said Superintendent Tony Sanders. “This survey dives deep into these important issues, and it is a good way to gather student input as we improve the climate and culture of our schools.”

The 2020 survey results have already been used by principals and school teams as well as our District leaders to improve equity and inclusion efforts. U-46 has held student and parent discussions on race and equity and are continuing the critical work needed to support our students and our collective sense of belonging and understanding as outlined in our Equity Plan.

This year’s survey will have questions grouped under four sections: Sense of Belonging, Cultural Awareness & Action, Diversity & Inclusion, and finally, a fourth section featuring questions developed by high schoolers who attended the U-46 Student Summit in February. 

Students will receive a unique, direct link to the survey in their student email account on Monday, March 8, accompanied by a video featuring their fellow students outlining why the survey is important. The English-language version of that video can be viewed on the District’s YouTube channel here, and the Spanish-language version here. 

More information about the Student Equity and Inclusion Survey can be found here under the Equity & Diversity section of the u-46.org website.